“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isa. 40:31, KJV).

Our Heavenly Father has a purpose in our waiting when our waiting (i.e. our trusting with confident expectation) is upon Him. Waiting is not merely a labor of time but rather the womb of hope. Our Creator plants the seeds of His plans, and as He forms His will in our lives, we wait.

When we wait upon ourselves, trusting in our own efforts, we lose strength. We carry the weight of time and fall when we try to rise. We feel weary from the run. Even walking makes us faint.

When we wait upon our Lord, though, we become aware of His moving in our lives. Our focus is upon Him instead of us. Instead of our fruitless efforts, He calls us to productive preparation.

While you’re waiting, praise your God who has “measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span” (Isa. 40:12, KJV). While you’re waiting, serve your Creator who is enthroned “upon the circle of the earth” (v. 22). The time, in the meantime, will birth in you a renewed strength because it was spent upon the Lord.

Waiting takes time. Today, be strengthened as you praise and serve God while you await His sure arrival.